Ramblers Gems A Spring Vale Rambling Class Publication

Volume 1 Issue 4 29th May 2020

For further information or to submit a contribution email: [email protected] ` creditable feature was that during the whole of

I N S I D E T H I S I SSUE those twenty years he had not heard a single instance of uncouth word, of bickering and strife 1 Our Early Years or anything to mar the brotherly aspect of the

2 Old tracks and byways parties.

3 Old tracks and Byways continued In the early years the Class did not publish a Syllabus, but arranged the rambles as the season 4 An Evening Walk progressed. As the numbers increased it was 5 Village Anagram decided to publish the list of walks in the style of a small folding card, this also served as the The Written Stone membership card and cost the holder the sum of

two pence, old money (equivalent to less than 1 Our Early Years pence today). Later on the card was enlarged into

The 23rd May 1896 was the first official ramble booklet form and gave valuable information on train and tram times, as well as the details for the of the Class. The initial walk was from Spring Vale via the top of Sough tunnel, Grimehills forthcoming walks. The price was increased to Church and Wayho Fold returning by Yarsdale, sixpence (2.5 pence) and was a credential of Bent Hall and the Sough, a distance of 10.75 membership. In the early days membership

miles. The original format during the walk was to allowed each Rambler to bring one lady friend with him on Rambles open to Ladies. A rule not gather specimens on the Saturday and then to met once or twice in Spring Vale School during the applied today as everyone is welcome. following week to talk about their discoveries and

put to practical use the findings of the previous

Saturday’s walk. Photographs would be taken of the various places visited and a Limelight Lantern was used to reproduce those pleasant summer outings during the winter evenings. Both old and young joined the Class and as time went on they included anyone interested in the work they were engaged in. It is recorded that in 1919 and twenty years since the formation of the Class Mr Jonathan Fielding the Secretary and leader of the Class had only missed seven of the organised walks. He also reported that a pleasant and

Ramblers Gems 1

Discovering old tracks and byways.

This is a linear walk that I enjoy and starts from the top end of the moorland village of . I usually get dropped off in the village. If you live in or near this walk can be modified at several points to take you home.

Walk up through the village passing the Dog Inn Shaw’s Office Block 1927 on the right until you reach the bus shelter and turn down Lane . It is from this point that We now cross the road to travel along the you get good views looking down over Lower bridleway passing Shaws of Darwen on the right,

Hoddlesden, Waterside and Eccleshill. In the far with its white office building constructed in 1927. The works, originally Shaw Glazed Tile distance are Hoghton Towers and the River Ribble estuary. Descend the lane, which winds between Company, was founded by Arthur Gerald Shaw several properties at Bank Fold to arrive at a T- way back in 1897, using the local clay brought by junction where you turn right. In the past many of horse and cart from the local coal mine, Belthorn the properties in this area would contain a hand Colliery. The bridleway, passing Higher loom for weaving cloth, and this is evident by the Waterside Farm one of the oldest buildings in the window structure built to allow the maximum light area, climbs steadily towards Roman Road and into the houses. The route has become rougher the TV repeater towers on the ridge. Crossing underfoot but still is very good for walking. over the road and onto the path at the left hand Continue down this track passing a small reservoir, side of the tower, we walk down one field to run by United Utilities on your left. Our route now reach the ruins of Princess Farm, before turning takes us to the right, by the side of Waterside right. Follow a well worn path across the area Brook and after about a mile, Victoria Buildings at known locally as “Baileys Field” to emerge Waterside are reached. The old Co-Op building between houses onto Hawthorne Avenue. The sits on the corner. way continues straight on and at the end of this road, turn left onto Holden Fold and Moor Lane and continue on keeping a look out for the small lay-by and widening grass verge on the right hand side. Take a footpath up the steps, between houses No. 35 & 37. The route in the next section of the walk is all on permissive paths.

This path leads along by the Square Meadow recreation field. Turn left at the kissing gate, and then walk around the football field to pass in front of the pavilion and out by the second metal kissing gate ahead. The route now goes straight ahead crossing a large field and into a second field bearing to the right to a 5-bar gate. You now Old Co-op Building Waterside are entering Polyphemus Wood, planted by The Woodland Trust in 2005 to mark the bicentenary

Continues below on page 3

Ramblers Gems 2 Continues from page 2 above of the Battle of Trafalgar and is named after one of Follow the brook on your left to a stile and then the ships in Admiral Nelson’s fleet. This broadleaf climb the 26 steps which take you up to Roman woodland is planted with 15,000 trees includes oak, Road at Davy Field Brew. Turning left and going ash, alder, birch, rowan, hazel, hawthorn and holly. under the motorway brings you to Davyfield If you turn left at this point it brings you to Knowl Business Park and Blackamoor and onto Lower Lane and the Chapels Area, where there are various Darwen. routes back down into Darwen. The total walking distance for my route from Belthorn is about 5 miles. The distance to the TV repeater mast at Sett End is about 2 miles and to Chapels 3.5 miles. The walk offers plenty of

opportunity for splendid view across the and Darwen valleys with several ups and downs to negotiate along the way together with lots of interesting and informative local history.

Alan R

My intended route is to turn right at this footpaths junction and for the rest of this walk it takes you away from Darwen and heads off towards Eccleshill and onto the Davy Field area. The route now traverses along the broad well used path around the edge and through the wood, until you are above Manor House Farm, don’t climb the stile but continue around the edge of the wood. After approx 200 metres search carefully on your right for a stile, that will allow you to cross the trackbed of the old railway line to Hoddlesden.

On the other side of the rail track climb a second stile into the field and turn immediately left to follow around the top edge of this field. Follow this wall until you can see a stile in the next field. Turn left immediately after the stile and follow the beaten track through the woodland to descend to Davyfield Brook. The ground in this area is littered with iron slag from the old iron works. This site Local Views along the Walk formally known as Darwen Iron Company was erected in 1870, adjoined the railway at There is not in the wide world, a valley so sweet, Goosehouse and had its own large sidings and shunting engine. The huge chimney dominated the As that vale in whose bosom the bright waters meet: skyline, but due to a decline in trade was Oh! The last rays of feeling and life must depart, demolished in 1936. Ere the bloom of that valley shall fade from my heart.

Ramblers Gems 3

Looks like more honey later in the year.Large An Evening Walk Craneflies better known as Daddy longlegs hover

everywhere. It has been a long day but I need to get out by myself on an observational walk to see the sounds, the colours, the For the last section of my walk I decide to take the movement but above all to absorb Mother Nature’s use western path tonight. This is more commonly of natural light and then log it all in my memory as she known as the Red Route going past Western Red continues to shape the 3 dimensional distance and then Cedar, Norway Maple, Small Acers with some bounce it all back to be recorded on my eyes. having their roots kept in the shade by the red leather colour of the curled up Choke Cherry. So, tonight I will first head off down the eastern path. The whole area is highlighted with English Yew, After passing the lofty waving spires of the bamboo on Mountain Laurel and the Common Holly. At this the edge of the small pond, a group of frogs are easily time of the day the movement of the leaves together camouflaged, that’s if they don’t move quickly! They with the evening light make all the sections of the sit, watching the Hover Fly and the Blue Dragonfly, walk appear to be tumbling and dancing to get my licking their lips and they are full of hope. Will they be attention. The evening breeze adds another level to lucky tonight with their supper? the constantly changing picture as she introduces

rustling sounds to the view. The canopy above this section is full of Common Ash, Sycamore, Field Maple, Silver Birch with its striped I sit on a wall and decide to try to identify the birds dress reaching up white trunks heading towards the sky by their sounds, not their shape. The Blackbird is and Horse Chestnuts with their white candles having easy with her loud and harsh chatter of alarm. Her each flower dotted in the centre with a fine pink brush. call goes up at the end and finishes off in a trill

sound. The Chaffinch has a loud “pink, pink” sound Heading North I slowly pass through arches of Apple and she delicately ends her call with a flourish. The Blossom resplendent and full of white flowers and Blue Tit bird call sounds like a “see, see, see”. The Oregon Crab Apple with its promise of tasty Crab sheer number of Sparrows as they amass as one, Apple Jelly later on in the year. The Wild Cherry are chirrup and chatter as if they are forming gangs to just starting to form their small and firm fruit and I play together and give me great delight as they take finish off this section of my walk by passing through an over areas of the different trees. This seems to give archway of Damson trees. These heavily intermingling them great confidence. A Robin hops out from and overpowering group of plants all support each other under the bushes and flies onto a large stone. It as they continue to push upwards to the light but hiding makes a fine and sharp “tic, tic, tic” ending with a under all this I stop to really take notice of what sits warble as it declares its territory. A Collared Dove beneath. I notice the Wood Anemone, the last groups flys over me, lands high in the branches and of Bluebells with these patches interspersed with announces itself by repeating its “coo, coo, coo”. Alliums wafting in the breeze, white, purple and pale And above it all a pair of Magpies add to the pink Aquilegia giving added height. Clumps of highly rendition with their harsh “chak, chak, chak”. coloured Azaleas together with an archway of pale Clematis gives way to the grassland which is dotted I realise that I have sat for too long. The cacophony with daisies and buttercups. of evening song is starting to die down and the sun is in its last stage of setting. The sky is ablaze with I notice that this whole area is full of bees. But which deep oranges, golds and purples. A fitting end to a are they? I remember now that bumble bees have perfect walk and I am still only in my garden. robust bodies and are large in the girth while honey Oh well. Home for a Gin. bees are more slender in the body and have fewer body hairs. Eleanor

Ramblers Gems 4

Lancashire Village Anagrams The Written Stone Our ramble on the 6th June this year would Can you untangle the following letters to form the have been a joint celebration walk with our names of Lancashire villages? The answers will appear fellow local walking club, the in the next edition. Rambling Association who are commemorating 90 years of walking. Answer The walk was to commence in the village of Leways Ribchester passing the Stydd church and Furrodf following field paths to arrive at the Hghoont mysterious Written Stone. It is thought that this 2.4 metre stone slab was placed here by Bctahrun Ralph Radcliffe following four deaths in his Gsitonien family – probably due to the plague during the Rraggimhs 1600’s. The passing of the years has seen the Thelwneo Written Stone subject may local legends, one Tinngdwdao of which tells of a farmer who once moved the Ootsnr stone into his dairy. It was to serve as a utility Beerritchs stand but any pots or pans placed upon it would shake, spill or topple off. When milk Telbnom churns stood on it the milk it immediately Soontrc turned sour. The poor farmer decided to return Rolled the stone back to its original place. Hognal We will have to wait for safer times before we Nimossento can all visit this site of local myth. Basnotlodes Michael Litwheewl

Taggale Lenpotend Nipghpci

Ramblers Gems 5